Scale.



10.824,854.' PATENTED JULY 3, 19,06.

. l J. W. FORD.

' SCALE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZT. 1905.v l

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Arromvfys PATENTED JULY 3, l906.

J. W.`PORD.

SCALE.

APPLICATION FILED MMT/1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

TTORNEVS wifi FZ7/w PATEN-TBD JULY 3, 1906.

J. W.'PORD.

SCALE.

APPLIGATION FILED 11u27, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET S.

INVENTH HUUR/VE?? No. 824,854.. I BATBNTED JULY s, 1906. J. W. FORD.

SCALE.

MBBLI'OATION FILED 11u27, 19,06.-

4 SHEETS-snm WAHM/ms' rus NO RRI: PETERS ce, vusmucran. n. C-

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIeE.

JOHN WV. FORD, OF AL'ION. ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK R. DAVIS, OF ALTON, ILLINOIS.

SCALE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 27, 1905. Serial No. 262,632.

To a/Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. FORD, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Alton, in the county of Madison and State of Illinois,

' have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Computing Scales, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a springless automatic computing-scale; and the object of the invention is a scale of this class which will not require the use of springs, which will be simple in construction, having few movable parts, and be durable and accurate.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, pointed out in the claims, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my scale. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the dialcasing. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through arms carried by the scale-beam, the section being taken in advance of the beam proper. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through my scale. Fig. 5 is a plan view, the dial-casing being in section. Fig. 6 is an end view, the base being in section and the platform and coacting parts being in elevation. Fig. 7 is a perspective detail view of a platform-standard. Fig. 8 is a perspective detail view of a scale-beam. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a toothed rack carried by the scale-beam. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a counterpoise-weight. Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view of a V-block. Fig. 12 is a detail perspective view of a knife-edge fulcrum block. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a spiral cam. Fig. 14 is a face view of a dial-plate. Fig. 15 is a side view of an indicator-hand. Fig. 16 is an outline elevation showing the spiral cam and weight in normal position. Fig. 17 is a similar view showing position of the parts when a weight is on the platform.

In the drawings, A represents a hollow base having a casing A adjacent one end and cut out, as shown at A2, adjacent the other end. At the iner end of the cut-out portion are upwardly-extending parallel lugs A3 and on each side of the lugs posts A4. A scale-platform B is placed at this end of the base and is vertically movable. It is supported on the upper end of a standard B, which at its lower end is pivoted to a link B2, which at its inner end is pivoted between the lugs A3. The standard is slotted, as shown at B3. A scale-beam O has adjacent its forward ends parallel arms O', which extend in advance of the outer end of the scale-beam, and these arms are notched, as shown at O2, and are reduced in thickness at their ends, as shown at O3. A knife-edge bar D rests on the reduced end portions of the arms C', said bar extending through the slot B3 of the standard B. A knife-edged fulcrum-bar E is supported by the posts A4, and upon the fulcrum-bar are placed V-blocks E, grooved on their upper faces, as shown at E. The bar E is higher in the center than toward the ends, thus preventing sliding movement of the blocks on the bar. The arms C of the scale-beam C rest in the grooves of the V-blocks, the notches O2 iitting over the blocks and preventing sliding movement of the arms with respect to the blocks. A steel-toothed plate F is secured to the upper edge of the scalebeam and a counterpoise-weight F is adapt ed to be moved along the rack F. The outer end of the scale-beam is formed with a threaded eye O4, through which works a screw C5, by which the normal resting-place of the Weight F on the rack F may be adjusted.

The casing A is cut out, as shown at A, and the free end of the scale-beam extends into the casing. Transversely arranged in the casing A is a rotatable shaft ournaled in jewel -bearings and having fixed thereon within the casing a disk I-I. A strap II is secured at one end to the periphery of the disk and at its opposite end to a shoe O, which is slightly curved and integral with the inner end of the scale-beam O. A spiral cam J is fixed on the shaft G, and a flexible connection formed of a cord, strip of steel, or other suitable material is secured at one end to the periphery or face of the cam J, and the other end of this strip J is secured to a suitable weight J2, which normally rests within the base A. Dial-plates K and K are secured lon opposite sides of the casing A. On the dial K travels an index or pointer K2, mounted on a squared end of the shaft G, and on the dial K is a scale K3, indicating pounds and fractions of a pound.

IOO

On the dial K are laid off concentric circles L, between which are numerals L, indicating prices per pound or fractions thereof, while a scale L2, indicating pounds and frac- 5 tions of a pound, is placed adjacent the edge of the dial K. Anindicator-hand M, notched, as shown at M', is fixed on the shaft G and travels over the dial K', the notches alining withthe numerals arranged between the cir- Io cles L. To prevent the weight J 2 from swinging, I place a shield J 3 in the casing A, which also extends downward into the base.

The operation of this scale will be obvious to those skilled in making or using` such de- 15 vices. When any article is placed on the platform B, the inner end of the scale C`will rise, and as this end is connected by a iiexible strap to the disk H the disk will be rotated to a degree proportional to the movement of the zo scale-beam, and this rotation will be imparted to the cam J. The rotation of the cam about the shaft will lift the weight J 2, and owing to the form of the cam it will be obvious that the greater the rotation of the cam the 2 5 farther from the center about which it rotates will be the point of suspension of the weight and the greater the leverage given the same.

AThe parts may be of any suitable material and in various sizes, and any suitable matter 3o can be printed on the two dials, or the device can be made with but one dial, if desired, without changing the manner of operating the scale.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by 3 5 Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device of the kind described the combination with a shaft, having index ends and a movable scale-beam, a rotatable disk fixed upon the shaft, a cam fixed upon the shaft, a shoe carried by the scale-beam, a flexible connection between the shoe and the disk, the said shoe being adapted to press the connecting means upon the periphery of the disk and hold the same in place, a cord connected to the cam adapted to wind upon the periphery of said cam, a weight carried by the cord, and a shield adapted to guide the weight when lifted by lrotation of the cam.

2. In a computing-scale, a pivoted scalebeam, a platform supported thereby, a casing inclosing the free end of the scale-beam, a rotatable shaft carried by the casing, dials carried by the casing, index-hands carried by the shaft, a disk fixed on the shaft within the cas- 5 5 ing, a shoe carried by the inner end of the scale-beam, a flexible strap connected to the shoe at the one end and to the disk at the opposite end and adapted to rotate the disk upon the movement of the scale-beam, a spiral cam carried by the shaft, a weight and flexible means connecting the weight and cam and adapted to wind upon the cam as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN W. FORD.

Witnesses:

E. G. MERIWETHER, FRANK R. DAvIs. 

